SOS
by RosaLumina
Summary: After a deadly explosion at sea, Naruto wakes to find himself & his friends washed up on a deserted, tropical island. They're forced to band together to survive, but danger is everywhere. Is this really the time for falling in love? SasuNaru KakaIru
1. Prologue

**SOS  
**A Prologue

**Summary- **After a deadly explosion aboard a yacht, Naruto wakes up to find himself and his friends washed ashore on a deserted, tropical island. With no supplies and tensions running high, they are forced to band together in order to survive. But, the island isn't as deserted as they thought, and danger is everywhere... Is this really the time for falling in love?

**Warning-** Yaoi-tastic smut. It won't start that way, but it will get there. SasuNaru + KakaIru + slight SasuSaku (blech)

**Notes-** This is simply my humble prologue to set things in motion. The next chapter is the begining of the actual story. I warn you now, this is not all about backgrounds and bios. It does not go in depth, that is for much later, and this will most likely leave you with lots of questions. It should, anyway. Please enjoy this prologue! I'm trying a new, more serious writing style, so I hope I don't fail... Also, I realize my title is boring and unoriginal. Do not confuse it with any other stories of the same name! _Italics are thoughts!_  
~~~~~~~

Weight, crushing down on him, overbearing, driving the breath from his lungs. Lights, blinding, flashing, dancing before his vision. Silence, empty echoes of nothing, serenading his ears. Everything beneath the water is so still, so quiet. Above, there is chaos, but below, there is nothing but the endless ocean.

Burning, gasping, his lungs are on fire, empty of air. He knew he had to make it to the surface. He still wanted to live. But, every limb felt as if it weighed a thousand pounds. He raised one arm, clawing at the water, kicking with his feet. He had to try, had to struggle, or else the ocean would become his grave. He kicked again, wincing as his lungs choked inside him.

He could see the bright lights, the fiery glow of the flames through shimmering vision. He was close to the surface, close to life. He needed to breathe. The pain was unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was all over his body, radiating from his chest, its searing tendrils raking along every nerve. His hands tore desperately through the water, propelling him upwards. He wasn't going to make it.

He opened his mouth, sucking in a lungful of sea water. His throat burned as the salty drink filled his lungs. He coughed, choked, sputtered, inhaling more. His cerulean eyes fogged over with blackness. His heart began to slow its beating. His body convulsed. He was drowning.

He had been so close. But, then again, what would he have gone back to? The yacht had been destroyed. Anyone who hadn't died yet was most likely going to perish now. He was hundreds of miles away from the closest land. There was no means to call for help. He had no food, water, or flotation devices, and could barely swim as it was. Had he reached the surface, he would have been as good as dead anyway.

Somehow, this calmed him. Knowing that death awaited him no matter how hard he tried to fight it was almost laughable. Of course, there was still so much he wanted to do. He was young, handsome, and the world was his oyster. Too late now. If what he thought earlier was true, then he had been condemned to death the moment he snuck aboard the yacht.

Despite his body shutting down, he found the will to smirk. He was the only person who could ever smile at a time like this, on the brink of death, drowning in the Pacific Ocean. In one last, feeble attempt to breach the surface, he stretched out his hand. His finger tips broke, creating small ripples.

Giving in to the overwhelming darkness, he closed his eyes, preparing for death's sweet embrace, as the water fluctuated around his limp body. It never came.  
~~~~~~~

It had been too easy. Really, it had been so simple he thought he would be sick. Normally, the man put up a challenge at least. He would throw fits, scold until his veins pulsed, and threaten him into oblivion. Instead, he paced silently up and down the dock, contemplating, almost looking worried. Perhaps his spirit had finally been broken?

Naruto snickered maniacally from his hiding spot. Sneaking away had lost the vibrancy it once held. Now that he could no longer draw the wanted reaction, it was lackluster. Of course, his uncle had yet to see where exactly he had crept off to.

The blonde rocked back and forth on the heels of his faded, orange sneakers, concealed from view. The rotting planks beneath him creaked and groaned, but not loud enough for his guardian to hear. The salty tang of the ocean wafted around him, engulfing his senses. A brilliantly colored sunset was playing over the ripples of the vast body of water. Naruto sighed in contentment.

The docks had always been his favorite place to sneak off to. It was never as crowded as the beach, but held just as much beauty. The breezes were just as saline, the ocean was just as blue, and it wasn't flowing with annoying tourists or girls in bikinis that looked more like floss than fabric. It was more private, like a special, secluded haven. It was the perfect thinking place, or daydreaming place, or whatever he needed it to be.

Right now, it was a shelter from the oncoming wrath of his uncle. Naruto peeped his head around the corner, azure orbs darting around the wharf for any sign of the older man. The whole area seemed vacant, except for a few old fishermen, hauling in the day's catch. The coast was clear, for the time being. He would have to be cautious if he wanted to remain unnoticed.

Naruto moved behind the crate, plopping himself down on ground. He leaned back, resting against some old netting draped over the cargo. He sighed, gazing down at the long ling of boats on either side of him. There were many sailboats, with colorful flags adorning their masts, and a few speedboats, painted with vivacious racing stripes. Most of them were empty, recently having returned to the docks, their owners tying the final mooring knots. There were a few with people on them, preparing to set sail for a late night cruise. And then, there was one yacht, docked at the very end of the pier.

It was truly a sight. The vessel was glowing with the brightest of lights, despite the twilight hour. Streamers, balloons, and ribbons of every color festooned the yacht, adding to the extravagance. A large, blue blob sat in the middle of the deck, surrounded by quaint little tables and chairs. Another table held an assortment of presents, varying in size and shape. So far, the only people on deck were men in fine black suits, whom Naruto guessed to be the waiters.

A birthday party, he realized with a hint of jealousy. Somebody was having an elaborate birthday party on a yacht. Whoever it was, they must have been rich beyond comparison. Of course, this was Santa Monica, home to many of the rich and famous. But, never before had he seen anything as lavish.

He was instantly envious. He had never gotten fancy parties before. In fact, he normally hated his birthday, and didn't even care to celebrate it. Only his uncle did anything special for him, which was understandable. He tried so hard to make life comfortable for the blonde teen.

Back at the foster home, they didn't celebrate birthdays. There were simply too many kids to keep track of all the dates, and there was never enough money to buy them anything special. It was almost like they were discouraged. Most of the kids had forgotten theirs, but Naruto hadn't. It was always the one day of the year where he felt the worst. October 10th, how he hated it.

Nothing ever went right on that day. Perhaps it was cursed? Naruto scowled as he calculated his growing list of birthday misfortunes. When he turned five, his parents had left him. They gave no explanations, left no note, didn't even say goodbye. On his next birthday, after already living in the foster home for a year, his best friend, Shikamaru Nara, was adopted and moved out east. The following year, his friends Hinata and Konohamaru were adopted. He was left all alone in the foster home. After three more years, he was finally adopted by a perverted old man named Jiraiya. Then, on his tenth birthday, Jiraiya was arrested on claims of sexual harassment on the neighbor women. Naruto had only had a family for a few weeks before he was sent back to the foster home.

His twelfth birthday was the only pleasant one. The people at Child Services had done a little digging around in his records, and found that he had a living relative; Umino Iruka, who worked as a teacher in Santa Monica, California. Naruto had never heard of the man before, nor did he know how they were associated. After a lengthy explanation, he learned that Iruka was his mother's cousin's brother's son, once removed. Instead of using the extensive title, Naruto preferred to call the man his uncle. He was adopted, took a liking to the teacher instantly, and had been living happily with him ever since.

Still, family was such a touchy subject. Iruka did his best to act as a fatherly figure without overstepping his boundaries. He worked hard, trying to supply Naruto with whatever made him happy. He fed him ramen to his heart's content. He was wonderful, but he still couldn't fill the void. He missed his family, so much, but he knew that if he began to dwell on memories, he would start crying.

"Look at that, Karin, more street trash. Somebody really needs to clean up this beach."

Naruto squinted his eyes, trying to bring his sight back into focus. He had been lost in thought, again. Though his senses weren't as sharp as they should have been, you would have to have been deaf not to hear the malice in the voice that grated his ears. He looked up, rolling his head from side to side to ease the built up tension.

"We'll call the city board later, Ino. Right now, we have a party to go to."

There was a torrent of giggling as Naruto glared up at the pair of girls. They were both stunningly gorgeous, he realized. The first girl, Ino, he suspected, had wavy blonde hair and was wearing a short, blue dress with a big bow at the bust. The other, Karin, had red hair pulled into a bun, and an equally short, flouncy gold dress.

"He is kind of cute though." Ino cooed from where she stood, unfazed by the daggers Naruto was shooting at her. The boy's cheeks tinted slightly pink at the comment, but his azure orbs remained narrowed.

"Don't get his hopes up, Ino Pig, he's no better than any of the other ones." Karin snorted, spinning on her very high heel and strutting down the pier. Ino stuck out her tongue, wrinkling up her nose in an unbecoming fashion. She turned around, winking at Naruto, before speeding up to her friend.

Naruto couldn't decide if he'd rather vomit or chase after those girls and push them off the dock. In all honesty, he didn't think he looked that bad. His hair was a little unkempt, but he thought it made him look dangerous. His orange shirt was a smidge stained from his messy lunch of ramen, and his shorts were a tad on the faded side. He thought he pulled it all off quite well. Although, now that he thought about it, if he had seen himself lying up against a crate, staring out into space, looking the way he did, he might also assume the worst.

"Snooty rich bitches." He muttered, watching as they paraded across the wharf until they came to the ornate yacht. They were assisted on board by professional looking men in suits, and left to mingle on the now crowded deck. Naruto did a double take, staring incredulously at the amount of people on the boat. The last time he checked, it had been empty.

He wondered how much time he had spent, sitting amongst the netting, marinating in thought, when he looked at the sky. The luminous blaze of the sunset had long since faded, leaving the barest hints of amethyst on the horizon. Iruka was going to kill him for staying out so long.

Naruto stood, stretching his sleeping muscles, giving small gasps when his limbs began to tingle. What had once been an empty pier was now bustling with activity. A continuous stream of finely dressed men and women were proceeding down the pier, leaving their shiny cars behind to be parked by their chauffeurs. There was even a camera crew, and Naruto instantly recognized the anchor from the nightly news, interviewing people.

"Kami, whose yacht is it?" He asked aloud, wondering why such a ruckus was made over one party. This was borderline ridiculous. People were living on the streets, and here was some person, wasting money on a luxuriant party. Naruto muttered obscenities at the yacht's owner under his breath while he pulled out his phone.

He forgot to turn it on after going swimming, and wasn't surprised to see a total of eleven missed calls, all from Iruka, along with several text messages saying "WHERE THE HELL R U???" He groaned at the obvious display of over protectiveness from his uncle. He was sixteen, dammit, and was perfectly capable of getting around the city by himself for a few hours. Although, he couldn't blame Iruka for being a mother hen. The blonde admitted he could be somewhat of a problem child.

"What a beautiful display! This will surely go down in city history as the 'Party of the Year'!" The news anchor prattled to the camera. Naruto bit his tongue in annoyance. They were making such as fuss over nothing, but the blonde couldn't stop his curiosity from escalating. He was intrigued to know more about the birthday person, though he would never divulge this to anyone but himself.

With an impish smirk, he quickly opened his phone and sent a text to Iruka, with lightening speed that only a teenager's nimble and practiced fingers possessed. He told his old man not to worry, that he was okay, and that he would be back soon.

"That ought a put his mind at ease." Naruto exclaimed proudly, his mind churning with ideas before he had even closed his phone. So what if curiosity killed the cat? He was as sly as a fox, if sneaking away from the watchful eyes of Iruka was any testament to that. He would only be gone for a few minutes, and he would surely ditch if trouble began to arise. Nobody would even notice he was present.

With a mischievous glint in his sapphire eyes, he pocketed his phone, and ambled casually down the dock. It was time to crash the 'Party of the Year'.  
~~~~~~~

_Security here is lame…_ Naruto inwardly chuckled, heaving himself up and onto the yacht. The men in suits were over attending to a woman and her date who had 'accidentally' fallen over into a pile of the day's catch. It sounded a little _fishy_ to him, though. Naruto snickered at his own lame pun before immersing himself in the crowd of people.

Up close, he realized that the enormous blue blob was actually a five layered cake, covered in ribbons of blue frosting and coated with sparkling dollops of melted sugar. Seventeen candles adorned the top layer, surrounded by little sugar garlands. All around the base of the cake were strawberries, red and plump, dipped in white chocolate. It was the cake of the gods, he just knew it. And, if it tasted half as good as it looked, he couldn't wait for the birthday boy to come over and blow their candles out.

He wrenched his gaze away from the masterful display of baking to look spitefully upon a table laden with gifts. Naruto scoffed as he noticed the two women from earlier, Ino and Karin, delicately place their own presents on what little room was left of the stand, giggling madly.

"Not a big fan of parties, eh?"

Naruto flinched as the words were whispered into his ear. He heard a low chuckle behind him, and spun around, heart racing in his chest. He inhaled sharply, inadvertently taking a step back when he had almost come nose to nose with a stranger.

"The name is Sai," the stranger greeted with a broad smirk, stretching out his hand to shake, "and yes, I really am this good looking." Naruto took the hand cautiously, eyes widening when Sai squeezed his hand tightly a few times before letting go. The other boy had dark, almost black hair, dull eyes, and was dressed in a very expensive looking suit. Noticing Naruto's wandering orbs, Sai leered brighter. "You may recognize me as the famous artist. I painted that exquisite looking mural along Ocean Avenue¹."

"Really?" Naruto asked inquisitively, raising a skeptical brow. He had ridden his skateboard past the famous painting almost every day since he had lived in Dogtown², and never thought such a superb work of art could be painted by a boy no older than himself.

"I did." Sai replied smugly, raising his nose in the air slightly. "And, many other famous works, but I highly doubt you have heard of them." His voice was dripping with arrogance, making Naruto narrow his azure eyes.

"And why's that?" The blonde questioned hotly, awe replaced with annoyance.

"Because, as attractive as you are, you are middle class." Sai informed him bluntly, sighing loudly as he did, as if it was strenuous work to answer. "You quite clearly snuck onto this boat, and, to be frank, you stick out like a sore thumb."

Naruto's breathing hitched, his mouth slightly agape. He had been caught! He snapped his head around, searching for any big, brutish men who looked ready to throw him right over the side of the ship. He heard another soft laugh from Sai, and he felt his cheeks heat up in embarrassment.

"I'm not going to say anything, though." The pale boy explained, eyes twinkling with mirth as they watched Naruto relax. "But, this means you'll owe me." Naruto wrinkled his nose in distaste, making to speak. Sai abruptly silenced him, gingerly sliding his fingers over the other teen's lips. "We'll discuss that later. Right now, I'd like to give you a little tour."

Naruto glanced incredulously at Sai, then hurriedly pried the fingers away from his mouth in disgust. This boy was a little to intimate for his taste, and didn't seem to get the idea of personal space. Sai tentatively nudged Naruto forward, bringing their bodies together for a shocking second. He caught a whiff of the dark haired boy's cologne as they touched, and almost gagged as the scent overwhelmed him.

"I'm Naruto, by the way." He introduced himself, expecting a reply, but furrowed his brows when he received none. "Is this your party?" Naruto asked, steps lively as he danced around the crowds of people. He tried to keep Sai at a safe distance as they moved across the deck, but somehow, they would constantly brush against each other. Naruto had the sick feeling it wasn't accidental.

"Hell no!" Sai replied with a snort. "If this were my party, it would be a million times better." Naruto rolled his eyes. _This guy's ego is unbelievable…_ He thought as he pushed his way into an open spot on the bow. He felt a wandering hand dangerously close to his hips, and huffed in irritation. He looked back at Sai, glaring hazardously at the other boy. He simply shrugged and grinned sheepishly, before turning and pointing at people in the crowd.

"That right there is Yamanaka Ino. Her father is the biggest name in flowers, and they supply everything for anyone that matters. Next to her is Hozuki Karin³, whose family owns the largest perfume empire in the northern hemisphere. In fact, I'm wearing one of their colognes right now. The weird looking boy behind them is Rock Lee. He's one of the world's best martial artists, and markets his own line of workout videos."

Naruto's mind was awhirl with names, facts, and salaries. Sai rambled on and on about the seemingly never ending torrent of people on board, motioning to each one before moving on to the next. It struck Naruto as strange that almost everyone on deck was a teenager. _Who the hell would throw a party on a boat with hundreds of hormone crazed, rowdy, unruly teens?_ He wondered, feeling slightly dizzy as he gazed out at the sea of faces. Another common denominator he found, was that every last person at this party was undeniably and irrefutably rich. Whoever was having the party had many, many, many friends in high places.

"-by the cake is Akamichi Choji. His parents are world famous chefs, and he is already attending Le Cordon Bleu in Tokyo. Although, I think he prefers eating to cooking. The guy who looks like a girl, standing in the corner back there, is Okamoto Deidara⁴. He's an artist, like me, only he is a sculptor. He likes to work with clay, and his pieces can be seen across Asia and Europe."

Naruto inwardly sighed, averting his eyes to the darkening and starless sky. Where there had once been fluffy clouds, glowing with the fires of the sunset, there was a thick sheet of violet. The water, which had shone like sapphires, was now a deep blue, bordering on black, reflecting the shimmer of the party lights. It would be time to ditch this party soon. If he didn't hurry, the boat would take off with him still on board

Naruto's stomach tightened at the thought of being trapped on the yacht for the rest of the night. He didn't belong here. He needed to get home to Iruka, who was probably shitting bricks by now. Besides, what if the boat didn't come back? Naruto looked worriedly down the dock, but exhaled his confined breaths when he noticed the long line of aristocrats still waiting to board. He would be fine, he assured himself, and went back to searching the faces on deck for one he might recognize.

"Wait." Naruto commanded, stopping an annoyed Sai in midsentence. "Who's she?" He asked breathily, his cerulean orbs widening in amazement. He raised his hand and pointing a slightly trembling finger at the aforementioned woman. Sai followed the finger, letting out a snort when he acknowledged who Naruto had been obviously fascinated by.

"That," Sai began with an edgy tone, "is Haruno Sakura. She is a famous model in Tokyo, though her fortune is mostly due to her father. He supplies all the cherries in Japan from his farm, and even into parts of China and Korea." He grimaced, dull eyes boring holes into the unsuspecting girl.

"She's beautiful." The blonde exclaimed dreamily.

"She's a bitch." Sai retorted, punching Naruto lightly in the arm. "Why don't you go talk to her, ne?" Naruto rubbed his aching limb, snapping out of his stupor. He looked back at Sakura, a smile unconsciously tweaking at his lips. He could never approach her; she was too gorgeous, with her lush pink hair and jade green eyes…

"No way." Naruto groaned, shaking his head. He took a step back, biting his lip, as Sai looked at him with an entertained expression.

"C'mon, she won't bite. It can't hurt to simply introduce yourself." The pale teen encouraged, a playful grin adorning his face. He gave Naruto a gentle push forward, but the blue eyed boy resisted.

"Nope, sorry."

"Dickless." He accused, smirk growing wider as Naruto's body went rigid.

"What'd you call me, bastard?" Was the icy reply.

"Dickless." Sai answered pompously. He could almost feel the heat radiating from the other boy's body.

Naruto remained silent, pondering his options. He could punch Sai right in the gut, then toss his perverted ass overboard. He could walk away, silently admitting defeat. Or could make a stupid retort and prove Sai wrong by going to talk to Sakura. Personally, he preferred the first option, but that would not help him remain unnoticed. He would surely draw unwanted attention to himself and risk being kicked off the boat as well. He would not allow himself to consider the second option. He was Naruto Uzumaki, and he never backed down, especially when it came to questioning his masculinity. His stubborn and obstinate mind set forced him to pick the third option.

"Oh yeah? We'll see about that, fancy pants." Naruto replied with a glare. He shirked away from Sai, making his way through the ebb and flow of spoiled teenagers. Sakura was standing by the punch bowl, which had no doubt been spiked, and was serving herself a glass of the fruity drink. She didn't seem to discern Naruto standing on the other end of the bowl, hyperventilating in her presence.

Then again, why would she? Naruto looked down disdainfully at his attire. He was quickly reminded of his rank here, and all mustered confidence left him. He shouldn't be doing this. He should be sneaking off the boat, not playing stupid mind games with the flaming artist who had been trying to grope him all night.

He turned back to the bow, scanning for Sai, but he was nowhere to be found. Naruto nibbled his bottom lip in contemplation. He could just leave now. He would never see Sai again, so none of this would matter. But, then again, he had never yielded to a challenge. The sweet temptation that was Sakura was calling to him, to talk to her, to know her. He couldn't deny himself, he decided, and would make the formalities short and simple.

"Hajimemashite⁵." He greeted her after clearing his throat. She did not raise her pink head from staring at the punch. _Maybe she didn't hear me? I'll have to be louder… _"Hello!" He exclaimed, voice clear. Still, she made no indication of hearing him. This time, he planned on approaching her. "Hi there, my name is-"

Naruto's words were garbled in his throat as he took his first step. Then, he was falling. Something had pushed him off balance, something went wrong. He fell forward, tumbling towards the ground, arms outstretched. He felt them graze the side of a glassy surface, pushing it frontward with his momentum. He hit the deck with a grunt, sprawling on the smooth wood, groaning as a slight ache erupted in his body. Somebody screamed.

"My dress!" Came the shrill screech, threatening to shatter all the windows on the yacht. "MY DRESS! You idiot, you've ruined everything!"

Naruto flinched at the harsh tone. He could feel the gathering crowd's eyes upon him, and he squirmed from where he lay on the ground. He heard a devilish chuckle from behind him, and his humiliation was swiftly replaced with fury. _Sai…that god damn bastard!_ He was just about to stand and beat the living shit out of the artist, when a perfectly manicured hand clamped down on his ear. Pain shot through his head, and he gasped. The hand heaved upward, dragging a reluctant Naruto with it.

With his head titled and body turned sideways, he continued to be led by his ear by some unknown woman. The swarm of teens erupted into indecorous giggles and sniggers around him, making his scarred cheeks blush. _KUSO⁶! This was not supposed to happen!_ Naruto hissed as another wave of pain assaulted his ear. His leader tugged him onwards with a fierce aggression, and he was suddenly scared for what would come next.

_I don't think she could kill me without witnesses…Right? Maybe she'll just push me right over the side of the boat, strapped to an anchor. Oh God, where is she taking me? If I live through this, Iruka is going to skewer me. Ouch, fuck, this hurts! Sai is gonna pay for this, that sick ass faggot! I didn't even get to talk to Sakura either…_

He was painfully pulled up a flight of stairs, biting his tongue to keep from whimpering. His ear was going to rip right off if she, whoever she was, didn't let go! He didn't even have the chance to explain himself earlier, and his treatment was completely unfair. Just when he felt his ear was going to be torn in two, the woman stopped, and spun him around. He stared ahead of him at two silhouettes, lit only from the hovering moon above. Their features were indistinct, and Naruto could only guess that they were both male.

"Honey, this ketsunoana⁷ ruined my dress!" The woman complained in a whiny voice. She sounded like she was on the verge of tears, and Naruto attempted to crane his neck up to get a look at her. When he did, all he received was a violent shake of his head and another round of throbbing in his ear. Whoever this psychotic lady was talking to was not reacting to her plea in any way, so she tried again. "Baby, you have to get rid of him! Look at this, my dress is completely wrecked!"

Naruto heard a disgruntled sigh from the smaller of the two figures. He must have been her boyfriend. _That poor guy, I would shoot myself if I had to listen to this whiny bitch all the time…_ He couldn't help but wonder why he had been yanked all the way up here. Who was this couple to decide his punishment like this?

"Sugar!" She griped, trying to catch his attention. Her boyfriend remained impassive, which only seemed to fuel her rage. _Damn, what the hell is up with these pet names? _Naruto snickered, earning him another jerk on his ear, making him hiss. "Kick his ass off the boat!"

"Unfortunately," the smaller profile finally spoke, voice placid, "we've already left shore."

Several things occurred to Naruto at the moment. First, the man speaking had the silkiest voice he had ever heard. It fell like curtains of satin on his ears, so soft and docile. There was something strangely sensuous about it, something that made Naruto's chest tighten and heart pound. It was like a fire had been lit in his stomach, with heat slowly encroaching through his body. Oh God, what a voice.

Second, this man, this boyfriend, had major authority. The way the woman addressed him made him seem like some kind of commander in chief of the yacht. This prompted Naruto to realize that whoever he was, this was his boat. Which meant, he was the birthday boy. That wonderful, arousing sensation in his gut had disappeared in a flash, only to be replaced by anxiety. He had just seriously pissed off the birthday boy's girlfriend. He was sure to be in for it.

Third, the yacht was at sea. Naruto felt as if he had been punched in the belly after sitting through a five course dinner of ramen. The breath left his chest, and he was forced to pant. A cold sweat enveloped his body, and somehow, the pain in his ear seemed insignificant compared to the pain he knew he would receive when he got home. That is, if he got home. He was floating in the Pacific Ocean now, who knows how far from home. Iruka was sure to be sick with worry, and would probably call up the police when he didn't show up by midnight.

"So?" The woman complained, ignorant to the panicking blonde in her grasp. "Toss him over!"

"You know I can't do that." The handsome voiced boy replied coolly. His words, though few, had a calming effect on Naruto. He sucked in a deep breath, regulating his breathing, allowing the soft words to wash over him. At least he wasn't getting thrown into the ocean.

"Then what?!"

"Let him go. I'll buy you another dress." He answered, exasperated. He was clearly fed up with this display, but his girlfriend showed no signs of stopping her pursuit for vengeance.

"But…but, Sasuke!"

At the mention of his name, the young man finally turned around. Naruto, who had just begun to breathe right, felt the air leave his lungs again. He had been stunned by Sakura's beauty, but now, he was astonished. The moonlight shone down on his already creamy, pale skin, making it shine like alabaster. It reflected off the sheen of his dark, raven hair, pieces of it falling to gracefully hide his eyes, which were unfathomable pools of onyx. His body was lean and thin, his frame clearly showing through his finely tailored suit. He looked bored, with his hands in his pockets, tie askew, and jacket open. The first few buttons of his crisp, white undershirt were undone. For a moment, Naruto wished the rest were undone too.

Then, he quickly regained his composure, blinking his eyes a few times to make sure he was seeing things correctly. Had he just found a man attractive? Naruto wrestled with his conscience, claiming that any person, man or woman, would be crazy to deny Sasuke's splendor. He swiftly wiped the corner of his mouth, just in case he had accidentally begun to drool.

"Hn." Sasuke groaned in vexation. The other figure had yet to make a move or say a word. The raven teen took a few steps forward, his gaze moving from the woman to linger on Naruto. Despite his earlier reasoning for finding Sasuke striking, he couldn't help but blush when their eyes locked.

Time froze for the blonde. He could stare into Sasuke's eyes forever, he decided. They were so deep, so full of hidden meaning. They were captivating, mesmerizing, indescribable. Seconds ticked by, and then Sasuke looked away. It was too soon, Naruto decided.

"Alright, dobe, why did you sneak into my party?" Sasuke addressed Naruto without looking at him, voice smooth and cold. Naruto felt as if he had been slapped. It was a rude awakening to be insulted from a man you had just been fantasizing about. _Wait, what? He is a looker, but I don't think about guys that way…_ The warm, fuzzy feelings he had been feeling were instantly lit into aggravation.

"S-sneak in?" Naruto repeated innocently. His insides were burning with annoyance, but he kept it from slipping into his tone. He winced in pain as the abusive girlfriend tightened her iron grip on his ear.

"Hai, baka. Why?" Sasuke asked again, clearly not amused with the blonde's feigned virtue. "It's damn obvious you didn't get in with an invitation."

Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but it went dry. This Sasuke teme was grating his nerves now. A heavy silence settled over the upper balcony. Sasuke stood, looking uninterested, waiting for a reply that would be worth his while.

"What about my dress?" The woman huffed, shaking Naruto's head around. The raven teen sighed before turning his back to them and looking out at the ocean. "Make him apologize, Sasuke."

"Do it." Sasuke ordered, dropping his head into his hands. "Apologize to Sakura."

_Sakura? OH KUSO! It's been her, all this time, it's been her! I pushed the punch into her and ruined her dress! KUSO! She has a boyfriend too, and he is an asshole. Damn, now she'll never talk to me… Sai was right, she is a bitch. _Thoughts buzzed inside Naruto's head as his body went rigid from shock.

"G-gomen nasu, Sakura chan." He whispered, ashamed.

"Now, let him go, Sakura. He's not some wild animal you need to keep on a leash." Sasuke mumbled from where he stood. Immediately, Naruto felt the fingers release themselves from his ear. Feeling was beginning to return to it, and he smiled gratefully at Sasuke's back. "Dobe, I suggest you stay out of our way tonight, unless you want to lose your other ear as well. I can't do anything about this now."

There was a low chuckle from the man beside Sasuke, who had yet to speak during the entire debacle. Sakura strolled over to her boyfriend, draping an arm around. Sasuke's body visibly tensed, but he did not shrug out of it. Naruto could not help but noticed how awkward and forced it looked, at least for Sasuke. He stood up to leave, massaging his ear, when some one came barreling up the steps like a rampaging elephant.

"Naruto Uzumaki, you're in such deep trouble."

The blonde gulped, instantly fearing for his life. _What the hell?! How did he even get here? He should be at home, worried like an old hen!_ Naruto took a step back under the murderous gaze aimed at him from the chocolate eyes.

"Heh, I didn't know you liked to party too, Iruka." Naruto replied, voice shaking. His uncle erupted.

"Dammit Naruto, how could you do this to me?!" He cried out, pointing a dangerous finger at the teen. "This is by far the most irresponsible thing you have ever done! You are so careless! You have absolutely no regards for your own safety, or for authority, or rules. You think you can get away with what you want, Naruto, but you can't!"

Naruto was taken aback by the massive outburst. He had never been screamed at before. His uncle had hardly ever raised his voice at him. But, now, he was red in the face, veins throbbing, anger contorting his features. It was made even more mortifying by the audience behind him, witness to all the fury Iruka could muster.

"Kakashi, perhaps we should relocate." Sasuke suggested calmly, nudging the larger man beside him. All three of them remained relatively unaffected by the tirade before them.

"I was beyond being worried sick! You can't be acting reckless anymore. It's time you start being responsible! When we get home, you're on lockdown, and I mean it! That means ABSOLUTELY NO video games, ramen, friends, social life, television, computer, freedom, happiness-"

Guilt was dominating Naruto's emotions. He had never felt more ashamed of anything in his entire life before, despite just knocking a beautiful woman into a bowl of punch. The last person he ever wanted to hurt in his life was Iruka, and now he had caused the man to snap. His uncle was still shouting at him, but Naruto decided he would hug him anyway. He didn't care that people were watching. He would never seem them again after tonight anyway.

A deafening _boom_ sounded from the deck below, accompanied by a chorus of screams. Smoke, heat, fire encased the yacht as it pitched sideways. Naruto's body toppled right, and he crashed into the floor, smacking his head hard on the ground. White lights erupted in front of his eyes as pain overwhelmed him. He heard more screams, dulled by the fuzziness of his mind, and smoke burned his lungs. What was going on?

Naruto stood up, blood tricking from the gash in his forehead. His vision was obscured by the dancing light and thick billows of smoke, but he could make out the fiery glow of something from the main deck. A hand, somebody's hand, grabbed his shoulder. Some one was calling his name, over and over, but the voice felt muffled. There was another _boom_, another explosion, and the boat jolted to the side. Naruto felt his leverage, the railing, the only thing keep him standing, slip away. His world was tilting, a sickening sense of vertigo overcoming him. The hand gripping his shoulder was ripped away.

Backwards. He was falling backwards. He was no longer on the boat, he was in the air. What had happened? There was fire, and screaming, and smoke… Naruto's limp body plunged head first into the torrent of the Pacific Ocean.

Weight, crushing down on him, overbearing, driving the breath from his lungs. Lights, blinding, flashing, dancing before his vision. Silence, empty echoes of nothing, serenading his ears. Everything beneath the water is so still, so quiet. Above, there is chaos, but below, there is nothing but the endless ocean.

Burning, gasping, his lungs are on fire, empty of air. He knew he had to make it to the surface. He still wanted to live. But, every limb felt as if it weighed a thousand pounds. He raised one arm, clawing at the water, kicking with his feet. He had to try, had to struggle, or else the ocean would become his grave. He kicked again, wincing as his lungs choked inside him.

He could see the bright lights, the fiery glow of the flames through shimmering vision. He was close to the surface, close to life. He needed to breathe. The pain was unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was all over his body, radiating from his chest, its searing tendrils raking along every nerve. His hands tore desperately through the water, propelling him upwards. He wasn't going to make it.

He opened his mouth, sucking in a lungful of sea water. His throat burned as the salty drink filled his lungs. He coughed, choked, sputtered, inhaling more. His cerulean eyes fogged over with blackness. His heart began to slow its beating. His body convulsed. He was drowning.

He had been so close. But, then again, what would he have gone back to? The yacht had been destroyed. Anyone who hadn't died yet was most likely going to perish now. He was hundreds of miles away from the closest land. There was no means to call for help. He had no food, water, or flotation devices, and could barely swim as it was. Had he reached the surface, he would have been as good as dead anyway.

Somehow, this calmed him. Knowing that death awaited him no matter how hard he tried to fight it was almost laughable. Of course, there was still so much he wanted to do. He was young, handsome, and the world was his oyster. Too late now. If what he thought earlier was true, then he had been condemned to death the moment he snuck aboard the yacht.

Despite his body shutting down, he found the will to smirk. He was the only person who could ever smile at a time like this, on the brink of death, drowning in the Pacific Ocean. In one last, feeble attempt to breach the surface, he stretched out his hand. His finger tips broke, creating small ripples.

Giving in to the overwhelming darkness, he closed his eyes, preparing for death's sweet embrace, as the water fluctuated around his limp body. It never came.  
~~~~~~~

**Notes**- Now are you good and confused? I have several things to address. First, you may notice Naruto is pretty straight. No, I did not forget this is yaoi, he will find his way to the dark side eventually. Second, he speaks Japanese, because he is Japanese. Third, there will be slight SasuSaku, and Sakura is a bitch. I will not try to bash her intentionally, her character in this fic is just a huge jerk. Feel free to ask questions, I know it's a bit boggling, but I may have to give cryptic answers. I can't give away too much yet! *sqeuals* This will be smut-tastic though. Just picture lots and lots of sex on the beach, then X 10000. This will be it.  
Please, please, please review. I've labored over this story for what seems like the longest time and already have the next chapter done if you all want it. Thanks for reading, comments and criticism are appreciated!

**1**- Ocean Avenue is real, and not just a song by Yellowcard  
**2**- skater/surfer slang for the city  
**3**- I realize this is Suigetsu's last name. Karin doesn't have one, and I liked it  
**4**- He also doesn't have a last name. I picked this one from the artist he likes to quote  
**5**- Japanese for "Hello, and nice to meet you"  
**6**- Japanese for "Shit!"  
**7**- Japanese for "Asshole"


	2. Chapter 1

**SOS  
**Chapter 1

**Summary- **After a deadly explosion aboard a yacht, Naruto wakes up to find himself and his friends washed ashore on a deserted, tropical island. With no supplies and tensions running high, they are forced to band together in order to survive. But, the island isn't as deserted as they thought, and danger is everywhere... Is this really the time for falling in love?

**Warning-** Yaoi-tastic smut. It won't start that way, but it will get there. SasuNaru + KakaIru + slight SasuSaku (blech)

**Notes- **Here we are, the first chapter! Thank you for all the lovely reviews. Now, this is a long chapter. This was orignally the intended length for all my chapters, but I am wondering if this is simply too long? Please, read this and let me know. I can always shorten them if you'd like. Oh my, if you haven't been keeping up on Naruto manga lately, jump on it! ITS GETTING SO INTENSE!!!! _Italics are thoughts!_  
~~~~~~~

Naruto's eyes fluttered open, revealing red and bloodshot orbs. Something coated his lashes, sticking them together, making them tough to pry apart. He thought he had gone blind when all he saw was bright, white light. He blinked several times, and the white began to fade, bringing forth color and shape.

Everything hurt. His head, his throat, his stomach, his body. Everything ached and throbbed. He twitched his finger, pain lancing up his arm. And then there was softness all around him. It was cushioning his body. He could hear water, feel the softness and see the burning lights. _Where? What? Why?_

Naruto's body lurched forward, bringing another fit of prickling pain, and he bolted up. He began to vomit sea water. The smell of bile and salt stung his eyes, attacking his senses, blazing in his nose. Again and again, he heaved up the ocean, leaving his throat raw and burning. Just when he would think he was done, another violent heave would wrack his chest, sending up more water. He felt it would never end.

Eventually, he ran out of fluid to displace. His stomach was completely empty, leaving Naruto with a hollow feeling inside. Water. He needed water, something to soothe the pain, to wash away the sickening taste. He was panting heavily, breath leaving him in raspy gasps. He raised his head, eyes scanning his surroundings wildly.

On either side of him was white, sandy beach. It looked as if it stretched for miles, jutting in and out to form lagoons and sand bars, before disappearing, probably to run in the other direction. Ahead of him lay the ocean, tempting him. It was the most obvious source of water, perhaps the only source, yet it would do him no good. Naruto craned his neck around, wincing in pain. Behind him lay a jungle, dense and green and leafy. Palm trees with graceful, fanning fronds towered above him. As far as he could tell from where he sat, they were the tallest things around.

The blonde swallowed thickly, ignoring his throat's screams of protest. Water would have to wait. He stood up, immediately regretting his decision when his legs gave out from beneath him, and he tumbled back down to the sand. Naruto groaned, staring at his legs disdainfully. They were no better than jelly at the moment.

"What happened?" he asked aloud, screwing up his eyes in thought. He was on an island, that much he was certain of. But how? He could clearly remember sneaking aboard the yacht, meeting Sai, and spilling punch on Sakura. He recalled how he was dragged by his ear to meet Sasuke, the birthday boy, and how Iruka had magically appeared on the boat to confront him. Then…

Naruto blanched as he evoked what had happened next. An explosion. Fire, burning away on the deck, screams of the injured and dying, smoke everywhere. And then he fell. He was drowning, ready to give up, prepared to be swallowed by darkness. Now, he was here, on this beach.

Nothing made sense. Why would the yacht blow up? How did he get here? Why wasn't he dead? And, most importantly, where was everybody? He had been with Sakura and Sasuke when the detonation occurred, so where were they? And the other shadow guy? And what about Sai? A sick, twisted feeling lodged itself into Nartuo's gut. What about his uncle? A tear began to well in his eye. He refused to believe any of them were dead, especially not Iruka. He couldn't bear the idea of losing any more family.

Iruka had given him the world. He couldn't be gone. Naruto sniffed, dangerously close to crying. He knew he was alive, somewhere. He just had to find him! He refused to be alone again…

Naruto's gaze inspected the coast, looking for any wreckage. He scowled in disappointment. The beach was as clean as could be. He turned behind him, staring into the dark, looming face of the jungle. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to go in there. Something caught his eye, something he hadn't noticed upon his first glance at the area. There was a small dip in the beach, right before the sand transformed into wild, jungle flooring.

Naruto, from his position, couldn't see down into the dip. His intuition - something in his gut, a voice - told him to peek. He was drawn in; he had to check it out. Too weak to walk, Naruto grunted and rolled over onto his belly. He got up on all fours and crawled across the sand, heart beat increasing as he did so. The dip came closer and closer, and he saw shoes, then legs attached to shoes, and then finally bronze skin.

"Iruka!" he cried, azure orbs lighting up with relief at the sight of his guardian. His uncle was unconscious, chestnut hair splayed across him unkemptly, his clothes sopping wet. The slow, but steady, rise and fall of his chest assured Naruto that Iruka was alive, quelling the uneasy feeling that had been growing inside him.

He slid himself over too his uncle, a bright smile plastered on his face. They were both alive. That was all that mattered. Emotion overwhelming him, the blonde leaned over and hugged the bronze teacher. He did not care that his clothes were soaked or that he smelled of that godforsaken ocean. He had his family back.

"Iruka? Hey, uncle!" Naruto called gently, nudging the man softly. Iruka did not stir, much to the teen's chagrin. "Hey, wake up!" he tried again, but Iruka remained motionless. The blonde bit his lip in anxiety, looking around for answers. _How did he get all the way up here?_ He wondered, staring out at the spot where he had awoken. They were quite a distance away.

Naruto felt his uncle shift in his embrace. Hopefully, he pulled away, but sighed when he saw Iruka had not awakened. A thought struck him, making him raise a brow. _If Iruka is here, maybe other people are too!_ If he could find them, they could help him with his uncle. They would be alright; everyone would be okay then.

New energy coursing through his veins, Naruto slipped away from Iruka, standing and taking a few cautious steps. His legs, much to his delight, were working again. He grinned proudly, taking a few more steps. It hurt to walk, his muscles cried out for him to stop, but he had to do some scouting. He took one last, lingering look at his uncle.

"I'll be back soon, I promise." he stated boldly, nodding his head in affirmation. Iruka slept on, but Naruto still felt better for saying it. He would never leave his family again. Well, at least, after this he wouldn't. He was craving to know what happened and how they had washed up on shore when he should have been dead, but with his uncle unconscious, he would get no answers.

With determination empowering his body, Naruto set off down the beach. He decided to keep away from the jungle and walk a short ways in each direction of the shore. He turned right, marching through the wet sand, curious eyes scanning the beach for any wreckage. His toes squelched in the soft ground with every step, and whenever the waves crashed against the land, the cool water would flow across his aching feet.

Although grateful to be alive, Naruto could not stop the flood of pessimistic thoughts careening through his mind. He had survived, but for what? To wash up on an island, inhabited by God knows what, with no tools for endurance? He might have just as easily finished drowning in the ocean. Who's to say that this isn't fate's sick way of simply prolonging the inevitable?

No, not only was his own life was in danger, but Iruka's as well. Neither of them was equipped to handle a situation like this. If the environment didn't kill them first, surely they would go mad. Their minds would unravel faster than they could find water, build shelter, or start a fire. They were not cut out for survival. They would have to be rescued soon, or they would die.

And what about everyone else on the yacht? Had they all died in the explosion? Were some of them still alive, floating on pieces of the destroyed boat, out in the middle of the ocean? Screams, terrible screams, pierced through Naruto's consciousness, reminding him of the swift and fiery death so many had suffered. Surely they all couldn't have been as lucky as Iruka and himself…

Wheezing, panting, doubled over and out of breath, Naruto stopped his trek and looked out at the blue horizon. There was nothing, nothing but endless cerulean. It stretched from the ocean, melding into the sky and clouds, transforming it into a perpetual mass of empty azure. There was no smoke, no planes, no boats, no forms of life, no possibility of survival.

"No…" the blonde mumbled hazily, rooting himself to the spot. "I won't give up. Not like last time." Somehow, through some miracle, he had been saved. He was given a second chance at the life he had been so willing to give up. This time, he would not let it go so easily. He would fight, for himself and Iruka. They would make it back to Santa Monica, and they would be a family again. Everything would be fine.

Inspired by his new outlook, Naruto dared to crack a smile. After giving the area a decent look through, he turned and strode in the other direction. This part of the beach had been as clean and deserted as the rest, he decided. Judging by his footprints etched in the wet sand, he had walked a good half of a mile. All sense of time was beyond him, but he suspected he had been gone for at least fifteen minutes.

Before he knew it, he found himself back by Iruka's side. The older man was still slumbering soudly, as undisturbed as the moment Naruto had left him. After years of his uncle protecting and caring for him, he would finally get the chance to return the favor.

"Alright, Iruka ojisan¹, now for the other direction," he informed his uncle, nodding his head to the left as he did so. Iruka fidgeted slightly, head nuzzling closer to Naruto's voice. The gesture brought a smile to the teen, who, after waving, turned on his heel and began his escapade down the beach.

The sun, high and mighty and the solitary entity in the sky, beat down its scorching rays upon Naruto, who was happily ignoring the sweltering heat. All this sand and sun and walking reminded him of the time he had gone to the park with his family. It was for his fifth birthday, he remembered with a pained frown. His parents had given him his present a day early, as a surprise. That wasn't the only surprise he had gotten for his birthday. The next day, after coming home from school, he found an empty house.  
~~~~~~~

"Look at me, okaasan!² I'm a fish!"

Naruto splashed around the shallow pool, sending showers of shimmering droplets into the air. He squealed as gravity took effect, and the droplets rained down on him. His mother smiled, watching from the safety of her seat in the sand, snapping pictures with her digital camera. It was a beautiful day for October.

"Ah, oh no, here comes a hurricane! LOOK OUT FISH!" The tiny blond ball of energy screamed, spinning around in the water. His mother chuckled, quickly stealing another photo while Naruto dove in and out of the water. "AHH!" he cried out melodramatically, "It got me!" He started to thrash around in the pool, sending a sheet of spray right at his mom.

"Ugh, Naruto!" she mockingly scolded him, smiling brightly to let him know she was teasing. He simply erupted into a fit of giggles before diving back into the water. This was the best birthday he could have asked for. He held his breath for as long as he could, waiting to see if his parents would notice that he hadn't come up yet. After a few more seconds, he burst through the surface, shaking his wet mop of sunshine yellow hair around like a dog trying to dry itself.

His mom was still in her chair, wiping off her camera lense, while his dad was crouching next to her, arm on her shoulder. He was whispering something in her ear, something that wiped away her smile. Naruto instantly scowled and crossed his arms. Nobody was allowed to frown today or tomorrow either. It was his birthday! They should all be happy and smiling.

"Otousan, okaasan, what's wrong?" he called from the water. His parents looked at him with big eyes. They didn't answer for what seemed like the longest time to Naruto. Finally, big, shiny grins lit up their faces. The toddler couldn't help but smile in return. This was how it should be.

"Nothing, Naruto-kun. Keep playing, we'll join you in a second!" his mother shouted back to him. The blonde pumped his tiny fist into the air in excitement.

He'd been dreaming of going to Seto Naikai³ ever since his best friend Gaara went, which was a few weeks ago, for his own birthday. The stoic redhead had been gushing about the beach and the fish and all the colorful plants in the water. He had Naruto practically bursting at the seams in excitement. He knew that was exactly where he wanted to go for his own birthday.

And, here he was, and it wasn't even his birthday yet! It was October 9th, the day before. His parents had taken him a day early. He didn't bother asking why, all that mattered to him was that they were going.

"Watch out little fish, here comes a shark!"

Naruto's eyes widened as his father barreled towards him, arms outstretched for a monstrous hug. In a fluid motion, the older man had swept up his squealing son into the air, twirling him around while his mother waded elegantly behind them.

"Careful, Minato," she chided thoughtfully, keeping a safe distance away from her flying boy.

"Aw, c'mon Kushina, do you think I'd-" Minato started, but was abruptly cut off as he slipped and fell right on his bottom. Naruto and his mother simultaneously burst into fits of laughter, while his dad winced in pain, mumbling curses. He playfully dumped Naruto out of his arms, and then stood up to massage his aching butt.

"Dear, don't say those things in front of Naruto," she scolded, cradling her son in her arms while he played with her hair. "I don't want him picking up any of your bad habits."

"He wouldn't dare say anything, would he?" the blonde man asked with an arched brow.

"Nope, never okaasan," he replied mechanically, grinning up at his mother innocently. She wrinkled her nose is disbelief before using her delicate finger to tickle his sensitive belly.

"Ah, mom, stop it!" he whined, trying to wrestle out of her grasp. His father joined in, adding to the tickle attack, threatening to make Naruto wet his pants. "NO FAIR! It's two against one!"

"That will teach my son not to curse." Kushina smirked as she continued the relentless tickling. Naruto yelled and laughed and splashed before finally giving up and snuggling into his mother for comfort. It was the best birthday ever.  
~~~~~~~

"Ow! Fuck!" Naruto swore as his body toppled towards the ground. His open mouth burrowed into the sand, almost swallowing the disgusting grit. He sat up, spitting and coughing, trying to displace the salty, gritty tang from his tongue. He gave a revolted groan as he stuck out his tongue and rubbed the sand off of it. What he wouldn't give for some water.

Once his tongue was mostly sand free, Naruto looked back to see what had tripped him. His cerulean eyes widened and his mouth was agape. He made a small choking noise in the back of his throat. A body. He had tripped over a body. _Oh God._

Naruto scurried backwards, his heart pounding against his chest. He ducked his head down onto his knees, too frightened to look up. He had never seen dead bodies in real life. Yes, there were plenty on television, but that was utterly and completely different from seeing one, not two feet away from you, in person. Naruto's breathing calmed, and he mustered enough courage to poke up his head. He could do this, he told himself. He could handle this.

He opened his eyes, staring directly at the face of the body. He knew he shouldn't have, but he couldn't help it. The man had very striking features. A spiky mane of silver hair was piled over his black headband, still slightly damp from his swim in the ocean. He had very pale, milky skin, interrupted only by a scar that covered one eye. He was wearing some kind of uniform that made him look very professional and mysterious.

The blonde edged closer to the body, unsure of what to do. He had accomplished his mission and found people, but to his dismay, he was dead. This did him absolutely no good. Naruto felt a wave of sympathy roll over him for the man, whoever he was. The poor guy had almost made it.

A slight movement caught his eye. The stranger's chest…It was rising, just barely. Naruto's cerulean orbs widened at his discovery. Was it the wind? He licked a finger and stuck it into the air, but felt nothing. The man couldn't be alive, could he? He looked so pale, so dead. The teen crawled right beside the silver haired man and held his palm over the slightly parted lips. Warm breath tickled the palm of his hand.

"So you are alive…" he whispered to himself. He couldn't stop the smile that tugged at the corner of his lips or the light that gleamed in his orbs. He had found another survivor! Sitting up, Naruto gave the man a gentle nudge. "Hey, are you alright?"he asked, then going completely silent in order to hear any hints of a reply. Nothing - just more barely audible breathing.

"Hello? Are you okay?" he repeated, though mentally berating himself. _Of course he isn't okay, what a stupid thing to ask_… He pouted and bit his bottom lip, but shook the man again anyway. This time, he heard a soft groan. Inspired, Naruto shook harder. "Answer me dammit, I know you're alive!"

He knew he probably should have been gentle, but he was throwing caution to the wind. This man needed to wake up. Now! Patience growing thin, Naruto debated about whether or not it would be appropriate to shout directly into the stranger's ear.

"O...o…bi…to." the man breathed out. Naruto listened intently for more, but the silver haired adult fell back into silence. _Is that his name?_ The blonde wondered, staring quizzically at the person beside him.

"Hey, wake up man!" Naruto tried again, gentler this time. The man stirred again, whispering indistinct syllables. His eyes twitched a few times, but did not open. The teen gave his shoulder a mellow pat, and then waited.

A steely eye fluttered open. Naruto inhaled sharply, backing up to give the man his space. The other eye opened, squinting in the light. Instead of cobalt, like the other, this eye was red. After blinking repeatedly, the man let his orbs dart around. He did not move his body, and his breathing still sounded labored, but at least he was awake.

Naruto waited silently for the man to notice him. He didn't want to scare him. This guy looked tough and very badass, and the blonde didn't want to end up accidentally punched in the gut in a fit of self defense. Oh, how the teen was bubbling over with questions to ask!

"Kid…" A hoarse whisper jerked Naruto from his thoughts. Surprised, he looked down to the silver haired man. His body went rigid as his gaze met the mismatched one of the stranger. It was terrifying. The blonde shivered as the stare, complimented with the heavy silence, crushed down on him. It was like this man was boring holes into him with nothing but his eyes. "Where are we?" he mumbled with a visible struggle.

"I…" Naruto started, words dying on his tongue. Those eyes, they were so penetrating. He desperately wanted to look away, but his body would not cooperate. He forced himself to speak, but not without stuttering. "I d-don't know."

The man sighed in affirmation, finally closing his eyes and putting the blonde at ease. He watched as the man took several deep breaths, twitching his fingers as if to regenerate lost feeling in them. Slowly, he breathed out, sitting up and opening his eyes to stare straight ahead at the ocean.

The only sounds made were the now regular inhale and exhale of breath and the waves slapping against the sand. Naruto rocked back on his heels, groaning as a ripple of pain surged up his spine. The man wasn't panicking, strangely enough, but then again, he hadn't either when he had woken up. It quickly dawned on the teen; shock. It was the only logical answer as to why they were both acting so mellow. That or understanding. Did this man know something he didn't?

Naruto gave the stranger a quick glance. He definitely looked as if he had been fished out of the ocean. And, unless another yacht spontaneously combusted at sea near Santa Monica, chances were he had been on the same boat as the blonde. The tan boy screwed up his sapphire eyes in thought, trying to remember everyone Sai had introduced him to. This guy, with his gravity defying silver hair, mismatched eyes, and pale skin surely would have stuck out in his mind had he been mentioned. Naruto couldn't recall ever seeing him at the party, but he hadn't met everyone there. A pang of grief washed over him as he realized that he never would.

"You're Naruto, right?" the man asked, voice softer and smoother, breaking the tranquility. He appeared very calm, if his lazy posture was anything to go by. His eyes were still searching the horizon for something unknown to the teen.

"Uh, yeah," Naruto answered awkwardly. How did this stranger know him? It was a bit unnerving, truth be told, that he did not know who this man was in return.

"I'm Kakashi," he replied with the same empty voice. The name rang a familiar bell in Naruto's mind. _Kakashi? Hmm, Kakashi…Kakashi…Kakashi…OH!_ The blonde concurrently raised his brows as he put his memory together. _Sasuke said his name when Iruka was yelling at me. He was the other guy on the balcony, the one that didn't say anything_…

"I remember you now. You were standing next to Sasuke-" Naruto began, but was brusquely cut off when Kakashi literally jumped to his feet. The teen clutched his heart, which had probably skipped a beat out of shock.

"Sasuke!" Kakashi repeated, devil may care attitude discarded. He spun around, both eyes scanning the beach avidly. Naruto couldn't help but inhale sharply at the man's display. _What about Sasuke?_ He wondered, feeling a small prickle in his mind at the mention of his name. He hoped the raven had lived; after all, it would be a horrible shame to die on your own birthday. But, there was something more to it than that. Naruto couldn't place the feeling, but he wanted Sasuke to live because he wanted to spend more time with him.

_Oh God, what the hell am I thinking? Sasuke is probably dead. Too bad, so sad, not everyone could make it off that boat._ Naruto nodded his head, trying to strengthen his resolve, but he couldn't help but feel sad at the loss of the generous, handsome stranger. _He did seem like a nice guy, I guess, but annoying as hell!_

Naruto looked up from the sand he had been staring at to check on Kakashi. The panicky aura he was giving off was crushing down on the blonde with full force. The silver haired enigma was straggling across the sand, weakness and fatigue evident in every arduous step he took towards…

_SAKURA?! OH MY GOD!_

Naruto scrambled to his feet. He had been so absorbed in Kakashi that he had failed to see Sakura, lazed on the sand not ten feet away. The older man was already at her side, on his knees, searching for a pulse in her wrist. The blonde dashed across the beach with energy fueled only by adrenaline. _Please be okay, Sakura, please be alive!_

He hadn't forgotten how much of a bitch she was, but her prettiness was more than enough to make up for her crappy attitude. _Well, actually, she is a huge jerk, and she has a boyfriend…had a boyfriend_… Naruto thought with a spasm of remorse. _God, sometimes I make myself sick being such an ass._ Still, he couldn't help the concern he felt for the unconscious pinkette. He slid to the ground beside Kakashi, face flushed and panting, ready to help with whatever…

_SASUKE?! OH MY GOD!_

Naruto felt all the air leave his chest with a whoosh. Even when comatose, Sasuke had never looked more beautiful. All the exhaustion and tension were void from his delicate features. His flawless, creamy skin wasn't tight and contorted into a frown, but relaxed and peaceful, like he was almost smiling. His dainty, pink lips were open slightly, looking so soft and inviting. His raven hair was wild and strewn every which way, some pieces plastered against his unworried brow. Naruto had to bite his lip in order to resist the urge to tenderly brush them out of the way. How could this teme, this irritating bastard, look so exquisitely tempting?

Everything about him made Naruto's head spin. His jacket had been shed in the ocean, and his white shirt was still wet in some places, clinging to his chest like a second skin. His chest, oh God, how Naruto wanted to touch it! Smooth, chiseled, flawless, all this gathered from the first few undone buttons.

Something inside him was pounding into his chest rapidly. Could that be his heart? Naruto blinked a few times, but this wasn't a vision. Sasuke, that god damned bastard, was still there, glowing with allure. _Why am I clamming up? It's only Sasuke, some jerk I hardly know, that just happens to be utterly gorgeous…No, stop that, Sakura is the pretty one!_

"Don't just sit there, baka! Is he breathing?!" Kakashi's clipped demand snapped the teen out of his reverie. Naruto looked up bashfully to see the older man tying a piece of his ripped shirt to a slowly bleeding gash on Sakura's forearm. Other than a few scrapes, she looked to be in good condition. Naruto worriedly bit his bottom lip as he turned back to Sasuke. He could not see a rise or fall in his chest. He stretched his palm over Sasuke's mouth, but felt no exhaled breath against it.

_I don't know how to take a pulse_…He inwardly grumbled, swallowing a lump in his throat. CPR had been a required session in his high school health class, as well as first aide, but he had spent his time planning pranks instead of learning. _Who would have thought that shit would ever come in handy?! Oh God, what do I do?_

If he could recall anything from that class, besides the Sex Ed, it was that a pulse could be palpated anywhere a major artery compressed against bone. The wrist wasn't his only option, but it was the only one he could think of under stress. Needless to say, Naruto had failed his health class miserably.

Ineptly, the blonde stretched a wavering hand out and grasped Sasuke's wrist. He bit his tongue to keep from gasping the moment their skin touched. The raven's skin was so cold, so lifeless, Naruto feared he may have been dead. Dread poured over him as his fingers failed to locate a pulse. He either couldn't find it, or it was nonexistent.

The cold feeling, the unsettling chill, crept over his body. He could hear Kakashi fretting nervously behind him, anxious to await news on Sasuke's condition. _Don't be dead, please, don't be dead!_ Naruto frantically brushed his fingers across the pale wrist, searching for the faintest of beatings. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

_This isn't working! No, he can't be dead!_ Naruto dropped the limp arm, turning his trembling fingers instead to prey upon Sasuke's shirt. He fumbled awkwardly as he frenetically tore at the obtrusive shirt, quickly sliding the undone article away from raven's chest. Without thinking, Naruto slid himself onto Sasuke's midsection, straddling him, and lowered his ear to the pale torso.

At first, Naruto heard nothing. He sucked in a worried breath, praying to whatever deity existed that Sasuke was still alive. Closing his tired eyes, Naruto immersed himself in nothing but his sense of sound. He began to hear a dim thumping, but it was uneven and irregular. Was it his own beat he was hearing? Or could it really be Sasuke's? The blonde held his breath, body falling completely silent, listening intently.

_Thump, thump, thump_. It was stronger, louder, alive. Sasuke was alive. Naruto released his saved breath with a grateful sigh. _I knew he wasn't dead. But, why did I get so worked up just now? It wasn't like I was checking on Iruka…God, I hate this teme._

Finally beginning to become aware of his surroundings, Naruto instantly blushed a fiery red when he realized where he was sitting. Sasuke's wrist may have been as freezing as death itself, but his chest was the polar opposite. It was smooth, toned, and very comfortable.

Even after being bathed in the sea, Naruto couldn't stop the instinctive flaring of his nostrils at the delicious scent being radiated from the body beneath him. He was at a loss for comparisons, for it smelled like nothing that had ever graced his nose before. It was melancholy, poignant, frustrated, cryptic, needy, and so many things Naruto couldn't describe. It was light and musky, yet at the same time, overpowering and dominating. It didn't smell just like one thing, but like a hundred. He inhaled drunkenly, letting it wash over him. He wanted it, craved it. If he could forever smell nothing else, he would be content.

It was like his body had found a niche with Sasuke's. Lying on his chest, the blonde couldn't help but feel at ease. He could have effortlessly forgotten about everyone and everything else entirely. All that seemed to exist at the moment was pale stranger beneath him.

An obnoxious and ill-timed clearing of the throat almost made Naruto choke on his own drool. He bolted up so quickly his vision blurred, and he all but threw himself out of his compromising position. He fell back into the hot sand, trying to save whatever dignity he had left by composing himself properly.

"So? He is alive, right?" Kakashi asked shortly, anticipation evident in his voice. The man looked poised for action, ready to begin chest compressions on Sasuke at a moment's notice. There was also a pink tinge on his cheeks, making it look like he was blushing. _No, he's probably just flustered is all…_

"Y-yeah," Naruto stuttered dumbly, inwardly sighing in relief as Kakashi's body relaxed.

"Took you long enough," he grumbled as he gingerly massaged his temples.

_This guy is as much of a bastard as Sasuke is! Is everyone around him a jerk too? So far, every person I've met that knows Sasuke is a pain in the ass._ Naruto, seething, was dying to retort with a loud and angry shout. _If Kakashi knows everything about first aide, then why was I the one stuck helping out? He could have done it all himself. What a lazy bastard!_ Instead, all he muttered unenthusiastically was 'sorry'.

They both fell back into the sand, stretching out tense muscle and sighing deeply. Naruto felt particularly stupid for getting so worried over Sasuke. He couldn't find a logical explanation in his mind as to why he would, so he made one up. _Kakashi was just so worried that it affected me too. Case closed, end of story, done. Why am I even dwelling on this? STOP THINKING ABOUT SASUKE DAMMIT!_

The blonde wiggled down into the sand, letting his lids drift close. He was quickly aware of how exhausted he was. Getting all worked up over nothing had nearly drained him of energy, and he fought the urge to fall asleep. He had to get back to Iruka still.

"What happened?" Naruto asked softly, snapping open his cerulean orbs to gaze at the empty sky. He could almost hear the gears turning astutely in Kakashi's mind.

"I'm…I'm not sure," he answered dejectedly. Naruto could barely make out the masked pain and embarrassment in his voice, and visibly winced. He himself was disappointed that his curiosity couldn't be satisfied, but he could only imagine how Kakashi felt. He was supposed to be older, wiser, all knowing. Without the answers, he most likely felt weak and vulnerable.

"How did you get away?" the blonde inquired, his voice neutral.

"Sakura fell over. Sasuke dove in for her…" Kakashi mumbled placidly, trying hard to remember. "I went after both of them with a life preserver and towed them until we hit this shore. After that I-" The older man sucked in a deep breath, running his fingers through the sand. "I passed out," he admitted, ashamed.

Even with such a vague account of their adventure, Naruto could feel chills ripple up his spine. A very ominous mood had been created with little more than a few words. His respect for Kakashi multiplied exponentially. The silver haired man had not only saved himself, but two others as well, and pushed himself to the breaking point in order to bring them to safety. He even had the audacity to feel embarrassed after collapsing from exhaustion. Naruto was suddenly glad that, of all people, he had found Kakashi on the beach. His courage and discipline far surpassed his own and that was something to be marveled at.

"And you?" Kakashi rivaled languidly, eyes distracted by the soft sand slipping through his fingers. He looked like his was shuddering slightly, but his face was earnest and solemn.

"Well…" Naruto began with a sigh. "To be honest, I don't know. All I remember is falling over the yacht after the first set of explosions. I was drowning, and thought I was going to die. I blacked out too." Naruto smiled slightly, revealing his pearly white teeth. "When I woke up, I was here. I found my uncle, who's sleeping still, and decided to do some scavenging. That's when I found you."

Naruto was amazed that he could explain something as catastrophic as a fiery explosion and his near death so casually. The true panic of his predicament had yet to sink in, he guessed. Right now, he was too exhausted to be afraid. All he wanted was to lie back down and fall into slumber.

"You left your uncle?" Kakashi's voice pierced through the foggy walls of his consciousness. Naruto groaned as he rubbed the oncoming sleep from his azure eyes.

"Yeah, but he's just asleep. Besides, I was planning on going right back after I checked out the beach," the teen explained, feeling his stomach knot in anxiety._ Have I been gone too long? What if he woke up, and is freaking out? What if a wild animal from that damned scary jungle came out and ate him?! _Naruto knew he was being irrational, but he felt he should be getting back to his family. He needed Iruka, and Iruka needed him, now more than ever.

"I guess we better get back then, ne?" the older man suggested idly, making the blonde cock his head to the side in bafflement. "Who knows what's lurking around this island. Let's get going." Kakashi stood up, wavering momentarily before stretching out his arms and regaining balance. He slid his black headband down over his left eye, covering the intimidating, red orb.

Naruto's face immediately broke into a near blinding grin. If he had known Kakashi any better, he would have dashed over and hugged him. But the blonde did not know him, and from what little he had already gathered, Kakashi didn't seem overly affectionate. Although he did save his friends…_He just seems a little cold, like Sasuke…_

"You mean it?" Naruto asked expectantly. He wanted to make absolutely sure Kakashi intended to go with him.

"Maa, there's strength in numbers," the silver haired man replied, giving his shoulders a shrug. "You're not far from here, are you?"

"Hmm…" Naruto looked down the beach, sticking out the tip of his tongue in thought. He had not paid attention to how far he had been walking this time. They could be anywhere from thirty feet away to a mile. Squinting his sapphire eyes, he tried to peek around a jut in the island that he must have walked over. He still could not see his beach, but he deduced that it must be nearby. "Nope, not far at all," he answered vaguely, smirking.

Kakashi eyed the boy warily with his single orb before stooping down to pick up Sakura. In an awkward, maladroit movement, he swung her up and threw her limp body over his shoulder. Naruto held his breath as Kakashi's knees trembled, threatening to buckle at any moment. The older man grunted, shifting her weight around until he was able to stand without fear of pitching. He gave Naruto an expectant look, all the while quaking under the stress of supporting dead weight. The blonde returned the expression with his own confused one.

"What now?" the teen asked obtusely. He heard the older man sigh in an exasperated manner, and was positive that if he had more stability, Kakashi would have slapped his palm against his forehead.

"Get. Sasuke," the silver haired man replied tersely, gritting his teeth. Naruto looked dumbly between the two pale figures, unsure of what to do.

"But…he's heavy!" Naruto whined. Of course, he was making a whole show of being impudent, but he was much too tired to care at this point. He should be carrying Sakura, the light, thin one, and the strong, muscular Kakashi should be carrying his equally chiseled charge, not the other way around.

"Suck it up," he ordered, voice curt. He hissed, swallowing a soft groan of pain as his muscles tired from the harsh exercise they were performing. "Right now, you're a little more awake than I am. So, that means you get to carry the heavy one."

The blonde huffed, admitting defeat. It made sense; he just didn't want to believe it. He didn't want to have to touch Sasuke any more than necessary as well, but it seemed as if he was just going to have to deal with things as they were. _Lazy bastard…_

"It's still not fair," he grumbled under his breath. Naruto stooped down, cerulean eyes desperately trying to avoid making contact with any part of the Uchiha. He slid his arms under the dark haired teen, relishing the warmth that flooded through his body at the action. With a grunt, he stood, pulling the unconscious boy with him.

Naruto felt his back pop as he straightened himself out, Sasuke cradled dangerously in his shaking arms. Despite his initial feelings of repugnance, he felt himself, most unwillingly, liking the idea of holding the other teen. He could not deny the tingling sensation that danced within his body, or the racing of his heart or the prickling in the back of his mind. He almost, but not really, desired to pull Sasuke a little closer. He wanted to, yet not at all, bask in that heat radiating from him. He would have liked, although hated, if the pale boy's shirt had been discarded completely, leaving his smooth chest to be ogled upon by a drooling blonde.

"Alright, let's get going," Naruto complained, struggling up the beach towards Kakashi. "He's pretty damn heavy." He could have sworn he saw some sort of glint, be it evil or mischievous or merely a trick of the light, in Kakashi's steely eye, accompanied by a mysterious smirk.

They set off down the expanse of sand, panting and out of breath after only the first few minutes of moving. Sweat, no thanks to the blazing heat he felt from not only the sun but Sasuke's body as well, was dripping down the side of Naruto's face, stinging his eyes. His feet kept sinking deeper and deeper into the sand, making it harder to walk without tripping and dropping the Uchiha. The calm, cool sound of the ocean only served to remind him of his dying thirst. The smell of Sasuke made his stomach grumble, and he was quickly aware of how empty it was. His muscles, which were aching before, were screaming in bloodcurdling agony for him to stop walking and abandon the extra weight in his arms.

A quick glance to his right proved that Kakashi was fairing about the same. His creamy skin, which had been pale with shock, was now flushed and red, glistening with a film of perspiration. His whole body seemed to be lagging, as if every step was a task in itself. He appeared perilously close to collapsing at any given second, with nothing but sheer determination and pride keeping his feet trudging.

After ten or so minutes of arduous hiking, the pair stopped to catch their breath. They dropped to the sand, quelling their ragged breathing and wiping the sweat from their brows. The entire trip so far, thoughts of Sasuke had been buzzing around inside Naruto's mind like angry bees.

_Look at him, so helpless, like a little baby. He better remember this when he wakes up, that bastard, and carry me around when I start feeling sick. Kami, he's so fucking heavy! Does he eat bricks or something? It must be all that muscle… I wonder if he works out. That's a dumb question, of course he does. How else would he get those abs? He sure has a nice body… Shit, I did not just think that. Why couldn't I carry Sakura?!_

They were up and moving again too quickly for either of their likings, but the need to return to Iruka seemed to outweigh the need to rest. With more than half the journey done, they were on the last leg of the beach. Only a few more dips and curves separated them from respite, and inspired by this notion, the pair was fueled with energy to continue on.

By the time they had reached Iruka, both men were all but foaming at the mouth. Kakashi slid Sakura from his shoulder, depositing her in the sand next to where he sat. Naruto, on the other hand, unceremoniously and none too gently dropped Sasuke, much to the chagrin of the older man. After a quick apology, the blonde settled into the sand opposite Kakashi, stretching his arms over his head. Everything hurt all over again.

The only nice thing about their lengthy trip was that by the time they got back to Iruka, the sun was just low enough that the palm trees could offer shade from the sweltering temperature. The relief was minimal, but it was much better than lying out under the cloudless sky. Naruto was still so hot that he was debating about whether or not he should charge into the ocean in a desperate means to cool down. Instead, he settled on sliding his sweat drenched shirt over his head and throwing it out into the sunshine to dry. A fresh breeze swept across his bare chest, ruffling his hair and effectively making him feel a little less hot.

He wanted to fall asleep. His lids were begging to shut and send him off into slumber, but he wanted to check on Iruka first. Turning around, he gave his uncle a quick once over, and, noticing nothing out of the ordinary, he lay down in the sand. He closed his eyes, sighing in relief as he was greeted with darkness. He waited to drift into sleep, but nothing was happening. He nuzzled his head a little deeper into the sand, squinting his eyes tightly shut. Still, he wasn't able to find sleep. He rolled over once, twice, getting comfortable, but he remained very awake. He relaxed with a rough sigh, opening his hazy orbs to stare at the ocean. He began counting the waves as they crashed against the shore. _One, two, three, four, five…  
~~~~~~~_

"Okaasan! I'm home, okaasan!"

Naruto burst through the door to his house, flinging his colorful backpack of his favorite cartoon character to the ground. He kicked off his shoes, slid out of his jacket, and tore through his foyer and into the living room. He had been smiling all day, and now his cheeks were beginning to hurt, but he didn't care. After all, today was his birthday.

And, what a wonderful birthday it was turning out to be. His parents had jumped on him in bed to wake him up, showering him with confetti and kisses. His mom made his much loved breakfast of gooey, sugary cinnamon rolls and chocolate milk, while his dad gave him piggy back rides around the house. Then, they drove him to school, which they only did on special occasions, and played his favorite songs the entire way. Once he had arrived at school, all the kids in his class sang to him, then his teacher let him pick out some candy from her jar of sweets on her desk, and he even got a little paper crown that said "Birthday Boy" on it. Gaara had given him a present, one of those little necklaces you fill with the different colors of sand, and Naruto hadn't taken it off since. Everyone was being nice to him and sharing their snacks with him, and even the bully of the class didn't seem to taunt him as much today.

"Okaasan, otousan, I have the bestest news for you!"

His giddy shouts echoed throughout the empty room, and he speedily dashed out and made a sharp turn into his dining room, sliding across the wooden floor on his socks. He started giggling before bouncing around the dining table, searching for his parents. They didn't seem to be in this room either. Undeterred, Naruto buzzed into the adjacent kitchen, which was also empty. He backtracked into the foyer and took off down a flight of stairs to the basement, where his father's study was.

"Hey, otousan! Guess what happened today?!"

The energetic blonde threw open the great wooden door, only to be met with silence. The study was unnaturally clean, desk devoid of littering files and random scraps of paper. Taking hardly any notice, Naruto spun out of the room and continued to search the basement, including their game room, bar, spare bedroom, and his mother's craft room. All were empty.

"Hey, guys, where are you?"

Naruto was whining now, but had lost no excitement. He hurdled up the stairs and went on to the second floor. He opened his own bedroom, but found nothing and nobody, only the sparse bits of confetti that remained from this morning. He checked his bathroom, just in case, and then hurriedly moved on to the other spare bedrooms. One of his parents was always there to greet him when he got home from school. Always. There was only one explanation as to why they weren't showing themselves…

"Are we playing Birthday Hide 'n' Seek?"

Suddenly filled with enthusiasm, the young boy scrambled down the rest of the hallway to his parent's room. The bed was made, clean and crisp, but his mother and father were not to be seen. Slightly discouraged, Naruto went and checked the entire second floor again.

"You guys are good!"

"C'mon, gimme a hint!"

"Yay, I love Birthday Hide 'n' Seek!"

He checked the main floor a second time.

"Okaasan! I know you're there!"

"Dad, come on out!"

"It's my birthday, you gotta let me win!"

As a last resort, he scanned the basement again.

"This isn't fun anymore."

"I have something to tell you, but you have to come out to hear it!"

"Otousan! Okaasan!"

On the verge of tears, Naruto wandered outside to the patio, after searching his home for three hours. Pots and vases and gardens full of blooming flowers adorned their backyard. It was his mother's favorite spot in the entire house. It was also empty.

"Please!" he sobbed, falling to his knees harshly on the deck. "Please, I give up! Come out now!" He cried for a few minutes, waiting to hear a response; the call of his name or the padding of footsteps or a hand on his shoulder, anything to let him know this was all just a game. "I give up! Mom, dad, stop it!" His only answer was silence. "Please!" Naruto screamed, tears dripping down his face and soaking his shirt. He curled up into a ball, hugging his knees to his chest. "I give up! I GIVE UP!"  
~~~~~~~

Naruto jerked in his sleep, eyes shooting open. He coughed, the breath caught in his lungs, and sat up, trying to dispel any thoughts of his previous dream from his mind. He could almost feel tears welling in his ducts, and his heart was thumping against his chest. He hadn't had that dream in the longest time, but could remember every detail with acute clarity. It was a bad omen, he just knew it, having that dream here and now.

"Maa, Naruto, you okay?"

Blinking away any signs of his near breakdown, Naruto turned to face Kakashi, who had a questioning look on his face. He felt his tongue stick to the roof of his mouth when he opened it to speak, so he settled for nodding his head in a credible manner.

"Were you asleep? You kind of zoned out for a few minutes…"

The blonde bit his already worried bottom lip, but nodded again. He must not have looked as convincing this time, because Kakashi raised a slender, silver brow.

"Sure? 'Cause you jumped pretty high-" he began, but was quickly cut off by a short tempered Naruto.

"Hey, I'm fine!" he snapped a little more callously than he intended. He immediately regretted his words when Kakashi's gaze hardened on him. Awkward silence settled down over them, thick as a blanket, and the two remained quiet.

The sun had sunk a little lower in the sky by the time Naruto had worked up the courage to speak again. He felt like he had been in a time out for the past half hour, even though he had done nothing wrong. Kakashi's single eye had been practically boring a hole through the back of his head, and he could no longer listen to the sounds of nature. He needed to talk; he was a chatty, outgoing person, and when the only conscious man on the island was ignoring him, he knew he should apologize or forever hold his peace. Which would, in the end, result in an untimely social suicide from the blonde.

His apology had been cut short, though. Before he could even finish getting the words off his tongue to an indifferent Kakashi, a loud, hacking cough sounded from one of the sleeping bodies. Both males turned excitedly to find whoever had awoken, and were met with slight disappointment to see that the pink haired girl was stirring uneasily and gasping for breath.

"Sakura!" Naruto called eagerly, dashing to her side. Although he would have liked Iruka to wake up first, and maybe even Sasuke- Wait, no, not Sasuke, Sakura was fine. He couldn't contain his minor excitement at her waking nonetheless, though he would have preferred his uncle. "Hey, Sakura!" he shouted again, Kakashi sliding down next to him. The teen was prepared, and willing, to give mouth to mouth at any second and was already hovering his poised lips closer to hers.

"I wouldn't do that," Kakashi warned as Naruto inched closer. Sakura fidgeted beneath them, letting out another racking cough, still not fully awake.

"But, what if she needs help breathing?" Naruto countered, smiling despite himself. He convinced himself that Sakura was still pretty, in spite of falling overboard a yacht and being tossed around in the ocean. Her pink hair, unlike Sasuke's, was still wet in places, and a little stringy. Her skin, close up, wasn't as milky and smooth as he had originally pictured it. Her makeup had run, leaving her with dark raccoon eyes and streaks of black down her cheeks. If she thought her dress had been ruined before, she would explode upon seeing its current condition. Her shoes, he presumed, had been lost in her swim, leaving her barefoot. She had a smell, but it was neither as captivating nor pleasant as Sasuke's. It was like she had gone on a fruity perfume overdose, and then rolled around in a pile of seaweed. The sight and scent made Naruto grimace on the inside.

He wanted to find her attractive, it would definitely help him feel better about his alien feelings towards that raven haired bastard, but it was a forced appeal. Of course, he knew she was still beautiful, and he was more than willing to kiss her, but he was simply not feeling the pull he had felt earlier.

With a hopeful grin, he observed Sakura wheeze a little, looking as if she was choking. Now was his chance to land a kiss. She would be so grateful for him reviving her that she would dump her loser boyfriend and date Naruto, and they would be rescued by her rich parents, who would then pay him a large reward for saving their precious daughter and offer her to him as a sign of their thanks. All of it started with a seemingly innocent round of CPR.

Just as he was putting the finishing touches on his fantasy, a sharp pain erupted on the top of his head. White lights swam in front of his vision, and he toppled sideways into the ground. He rubbed the sore spot gingerly with his hands, gnashing his teeth in anguish. _What the fuck just happened?!_

"Hentai!"  
~~~~~~~

**Notes- **^^ I couldn't resist the ending. Alrighty then, give me some feedback! Too long? Too boring? Trash or treasure? I promise the pace will pick up next chap, and there may be some actual smut. Flashbacks, like Naruto's, will be common. I hope they are not terribly confusing. Also, more and more of his past will be revealed this way. Ah, his parents, so sad... Please, please, please review. It is like the elixir of the gods to me. Thanks for reading my stories, feel free to ask questions and whatnot. Be ready for the next update! PS, review!

1- Japanese honorific for Uncle  
2- Japanese honorific for Mother  
3- A National Park in Northern Japan, on the beach


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